Shot-proof cage for railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. W. MITCHELL.

SHOT PROOF GAGE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 407,832. PatentedJuly 30, 188-9.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. W. MITCHELL.

SHOT PROOF GAGE FOR RAILWAY (mas. No. 407,832.

Patented July 30, 1889.

WHW 'D WITNESSES I 05 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ANDREV XV. MITCHELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SHOT-PROOF CAGE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,832, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed May 11, 1889- Serial No. 810,427. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, ANDREW W. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of \Vayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Im provement in 'lrain-Protectors; and I declare the following to be a full, clear,'and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, of an expresscar embodying my invention, showing parts in section. Fig. 3 is a separate View showing parts broken away, illustrating the construction of the shot-proof cage. Fig. 4- is a section of one of the bulls-eyes. Fig. 5 shows the device as applied to a passenger-car'and to a tender.

Much annoyance has arisen from the assault-s of robbers upon express-cars, stages, and similar vehicles, and the usual course has been to shoot or threaten to shoot the eX- pressman of the car or driver of the stage and so compel him to open the money-chests or to give over the valuables under his charge.

This invention has for its object to enable the eXpressman or person in charge to defend himself or to make an aggressive attack upon such robbers or unlawful assailants without endangering his own life.

To this end A may represent an expresscar, and B is its door.

B is a powerful spring,which may beforced back into its retracted form, where it remains under usual conditions.

B is a latch governed by a lever B and B is a button or treadle, by pressing which the latch is released and the spring forces the door shut with great violence. Instead of the button or treadle being located at the floor, it may, if desirable, be located within reach of the hand 011 the side wall of the car. The object of this construction is that should an express-messenger be compelled to open the door of his car, or should the door be forced by a robber, the messenger may at the moment the intruder is climbing through the doorway spring the latch, and cause the door to close with a powerful blow against him.

0 is a cage or strong-room, made bulletproof and provided with port-holes C at suit-- able points, through which the occupant may thrust a gun or pistol, or through which he may fire from the interior. These port-holes may upon the inside be protected with suitable doors or slides, so that all will remain closed except when any one is opened for use.

0 is a door through which the messenger or eXpressman may enter the cage, and the button or treadle B is preferably located on the interior of this cage, so as to be out of the way in the ordinary use of the car, and yet accessible to be pressed after the messenger has placed himself within the cage in a position of safety. This cage may beof any convenient size on the interior to accommodate a man with his weapons, and it may be located at any desired point. It may be located along the middle of the car either near the end or toward the center, and may be in the form of a cupola or dome projecting through the roof above the car and commanding a view of all sides. In this case the door should be in the bottom of the cage, and a drop-ladder arranged to permit the messenger to ascend quickly into the cage when he mayclose and lock the door, either drawing the ladder up or it may be left in place or thrown down. If the cage is not convenient projecting thus through the roof, it may be located in any other position. Thus it may be located at either side or end of the car and project down to the floor, in which case the door will be in the side of the cage, and it may have portholes looking outward through the side of the car and with port-holes commanding the interior of the car also.

D represents small lights or bulls-eyes for lighting the interior. They may be made of thick strong glass and be protected by housing their edges between gaskets or cushions of rubber, and held in place by screw-caps. d is such a bulls-eye. d represents the gaskets, and d is the screw-cap for holding it in place. Should the device project up through the car, light might be introduced from the upper end.

This device is not confined to the expresscars alone, but any passenger-car may be in like manner provided with a similar cage and weapons for use by a brake-man or other ICO train-man. Again, it is equally applicable on the rear end of a locomotive-tender, available for the locomotive engineer or fireman in case of an assault.

While this device is particularly applicable for cars, it may also be made in light form and suitably located on a stage-coach or other conveyance and serve a like purpose.

This device should be made ornamental, so as to add to rather than detract from the appearance of the car to which it is applied. So, also, the bulls-eyes or lights should preferably be located above the head-level of the occupant of the cage, so as to not endanger him in case such eye or light should be struck with a shot.

The port-holes C may be provided with narrow slits above them, as shown at 0, through which the occupant may sight over the end of his weapon.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a car or other conveyance, of a shot-proof cage provided with glow-lights or bulls-eyes and port-holes for commanding both the interior and exterior of the car, said port-holes being protected on the inside by doors or slides, and the cage being provided with a door having an interior lock, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a car, of a shotproof cage projecting up through the top ofv the car and provided with port-holes commanding the surrounding area, said cage pro- Vided with an entrance-door through the bot tom and with port-holes also commanding the interior of the car, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a car provided with a cage 0, of a car-door, a spring governed by a latch for violently closing the-door, and a button or treadle located in the cage, where by the latch may be released and the door thrust shut, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, with the cage 0, of glow-lights or bulls-eyes, cushions of rubber or equivalent embracing its edges, and screwcaps for holding them in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW W: MITCHELL.

\Vitnessesz' WM. M. STEUABT, W. H. CHAMBERLIN. 

